Objective: To compare the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) with standardized house dust mite extract in mono sensitized and polysensitized children with allergic rhinitis.
Method: One hundred and fifty-seven children who were sensitized to house dust mites and treated with SLIT for house dust mites for at least 1 year were studied. The monoallergen sensitized group included patients who were sensitized to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and/or Dermatophagoides farinae (n=92). The polyallergen sensitized group included patients who were simultaneously sensitized to house dust mites and other allergens (n = 65). A standardized extract of house dust mites was used for immunotherapy. Antiallergic medication and the total nasal symptom score (TNSS) were evaluated before and 1 year after SLIT.
Result: One hundred and twenty-five children completed 1-year SLIT. The TNSS improved significantly after SLIT in both groups, with monoallergen sensitized group 11.42 +/- 1.60 vs 3.55 +/- 1.57 (t=30.03, P<0.01), and polyallergen sensitized group 11.54 +/- 1.55 vs 3.23 +/- 1.56 (t=27.76, P< 0.01). But the change in the TNSS did not differ significantly between the groups (TNSS change, 7.94 +/- 2.24 vs 8.32 +/- 2.18, P>0.05). The AMSs were decreased significantly after SLIT in both groups, with monoallergen sensitized group 1.62 +/- 0.44 vs 0.56 +/- 0.37 (t=15.01, P<0.01), and polyallergen sensitized group 1.63 +/- 0.43 vs 0.50 +/- 0.40 (t=13.49, P<0.01). But the AMSs improvement did not differ significantly between the two groups(AMSs change 1.03 +/- 0.58 vs 1.13 +/- 0.61, P>0.05).
Conclusion: In polysensitized allergic rhinitis patients, SLIT for D pteronyssinus and/or D farinae produced improvements in both nasal symptoms and rescue medication scores comparable to those in mono sensitized patients. SLIT for D pteronyssinus and/or D farinae should be considered in polysensitized allergic rhinitis patients.